THE power sector’s performance is dismal and electricity supply is neither reliable nor affordable for an overwhelming number of citizens. There are a number of reasons for this state of affairs.

No appreciable efforts have been made to introduce an effective staff training system to design, operate and maintain the power system.

The system’s expansion and augmentation are undertaken without the requisite studies.

The routine maintenance of plants and replacement of old equipment are not conducted in a systematic manner which results in frequent equipment failure and faults resulting in decreased reliability.

These facts indicate an unreliable power delivery system that is vulnerable to breakdowns and blackouts at any time.

The price of electricity is perhaps the highest in the region. System losses and thefts continue to increase escalating the tariffs and causing loss to the government. The concerned agencies have failed miserably to stop these losses.

This is badly affecting the national economy. Exports are no longer competitive because of the higher input cost of production owing to high power tariffs. The circular debt has gone out of control to over Rs900 billion!

It is feared that the power delivery system and high cost of electricity may become the major factor in the Pakistani economy’s collapse. Many heads should have rolled by now because of this disturbing and disappointing performance.

Riaz Bhutta

Lahore

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2018